Aloha Waimea Bay! Waimea Bay is a beautiful beach on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. A famous surfing beach due to the large shore breaks during the winter season. In the summertime, the waters are more calm. A perfect time for swimming and snorkeling. Waimea Bay is also well-known for the gigantic rock (pictured above with me) called Jump Rock. It is approximately 25 ft high. You can climb up to the top of the rock and jump off if you choose to do so. If you’ve been here, have you jumped off the rock? Share your experience with me. 🙂

Location:

North Shore, Oahu

Waimea Bay North Shore Map

Parking:

Free parking lot. Just watch out for chickens and roosters running around freely. They are so cute!

E komo mai! Welcome to Waimea Bay!

Learn about Waimea Bay.

Some fun facts about Waimea Bay:

It is known for fishing and agricultural lands where Hawaiins grew taro, sweet potato, and many other traditional crops.

Yes, that’s what the warning sign says. If you simply look at the rock, it looks easy. If you’re there in person, it looks bigger and more dangerous. The waves were pretty strong when I was at Waimea Bay. I was almost pulled into the ocean just by dipping my feet into the ocean water! Luckily, nothing bad happened. I would only recommend experienced divers and good swimmers to participate in this activity.

Kailua Beach & Lanikai Beach: The Epitome of Perfection.

Today, I decided to make my way to two beaches: Kailua and Lanikai. When I think of Hawaii, this is exactly what I pictured it to be. These beaches are the epitome of perfection. The sand is fine, white, and powdery to touch. The ocean water is cool and pristine. Flawless. Kailua and Lanikai are absolute gems. An ideal getaway for a day of relaxation, swimming, and taking beautiful photographs.

What does Kailua mean? What does Lanikai mean?

Kailua means “Two Seas.” Lanikai means “Heavenly Ocean.”

Location:

They are both located Windward East Side of Oahu.

Where to Park:

Lanikai has street parking. The area is residential, so be aware of that. Kailua, on the other hand, has many parking lots available and street parking. Parking is free.

Kailua Beach, Lanikai Beach Parking Map

Did you know?

Lanikai is ranked one of the best beaches in the world!

Which beach to visit first?

It doesn’t matter! I spent a good amount of time in Lanikai and decided to make my way to Kailua soon after. I instantly fell in love with Kailua. These beaches are neighboring beaches, so you can hop from one to another in a short amount of time. To get to Kailua, I crossed a bridge. If you want, you can swim over. But, I had items, such as my bag, food, clothes, and such. The photo makes it look easy to cross over. It’s actually pretty deep. There were tiny little fishies swimming around all over.

On the bridge to Kailua Beach.

Offshore islands you must see!

1. A pair of islands, Na Mokulua or The Mokes, is located offshore of Lanikai Beach. The name means “Two Islands.” They are called Moku Nui (larger) and Moku Iki (smaller). You can get a permit to go to the larger island (designated areas are off-limits though), but the smaller island is entirely off-limits. Both are Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuaries.

2. A flat island offshore of Kailua is called Popoi’a, which translates to “Rotten Fish.” It is one of the smallest offshore islands of Oahu. It is also a Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary.

3. Mokoli’i island or most notably known as “Chinaman’s Hat” can be seen from these beaches. Mokoli’i means “Little Lizard.” The name comes from Hawaiin mythology. As for the other term, it is called “Chinaman’s Hat” because it resembles an Asian conical hat.

Enjoying the Beach Life. 😉

A flower behind my left ear.

Kailua Beach

Dipping my toes into the water.

My name in the sand.

As the day went on, it became very windy. It wasn’t cold though. Can you spot any offshore islands mentioned above? The views are from Kailua Beach. 🙂

It’s still a beautiful day. 🙂

I see some.

Windy…

Goodbye Kailua. Farewell Lanikai. 🖖

Memories will last forever long after footprints in the sand are gone.

Have you been to Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach? Share your experience! 🙂

P.S. My breakfast before the beach. Keeping it clean and healthy.

Bananas, Oranges

Travel Tips:

Bring sunblock and use it regularly. A beach umbrella would be nice.

There’s free parking. To grab a spot, you need to arrive early. I arrived between 8:00 am – 9:00 am and was unable to park in the lot. I parked on the street instead.